2026 Kawasaki Ninja 500 Launched at Rs. 5.76 Lakh

• Rs. 10,000 more expensive than before
• Gets a new Lime Green colour option
• Mechanical details remain unchanged

Kawasaki has updated the Ninja 500 for 2026 in India. The motorcycle now comes in a new Lime Green livery and costs Rs. 5.76 lakh, ex-showroom, which makes it Rs. 10,000 more expensive than the outgoing model. Considering the engine displacement and the overall package that it brings to the table, the Ninja 500 is an exorbitantly priced motorcycle. The main reason for that is that it is a CBU (completely built-up) product for India, which makes it attract heavy taxes.

The closest rival to the Kawasaki Ninja 500 in India is the Aprilia RS 457. The latter offers similar engine performance but features more tech, which makes it a better value, at least on paper. Besides, the Ninja 500 may soon get discontinued in India as it doesn’t comply with E20 regulations, and the Indian government has been aggressively pushing the adoption of fuel with a higher Ethanol blend. The Kawasaki Eliminator, which utilises the same engine as the Ninja 500, will soon be discontinued after the remaining stock sells out.

Besides the introduction of a new paint scheme, the 2026 Ninja 500 remains the same as before. It runs on a 451cc, parallel-twin engine, which is mated to a six-speed gearbox and an assist and slipper clutch. Built on a lightweight trellis frame, the Ninja 500 features telescopic forks, a monoshock, and a single disc brake at both ends with dual-channel ABS. While it misses out on advanced electronics, it gets essential features like an LCD console with smartphone connectivity and all-LED lighting.